Housing Choices Australia Annual Report 2018

Ageing-in-place Casestudy.

Research-led innovation

Housing Choices partnered with the Faculty of Art Design and Architecture at Monash University (MADA) to determine the design and building techniques at our 9 Gertrude Street St Albans project in Victoria. The design allows for the cost-eective rescaling of internal spaces – bedrooms and living areas - while retaining the key functional core; something not done in community housing. MADA will test the existing ‘flexible build’ research against a real client base, using our property and development requirements and our financial models, to determine replicable new design and building concepts that are both practical and aordable. This exciting research builds on work already undertaken through the Ageing Friendly Cities and Neighbourhoods Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage Project, a previous collaboration between MADA and Housing Choices that explored how urban and architectural design can provide aordable and more suitable housing options for older Australians.

This latest collaboration with MADA at our St Albans site was a key element part of our Victorian Property Fund 2017-2018 application and included:

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a Post-Occupancy Study to evaluate the outcomes of implementing a ‘shell’ design approach, including a cost benefit analysis; a review of the above findings against other developments from MADA’s extensive research bank to compare and evaluate property outcomes against standard developments; and

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recommendations for future improvements and applications of the ‘shell’ fit out approach.

As this exciting research project develops, we will incorporate new-build infill typology in the suburbs where demand is high and much of the housing stock is nearing the end of its life-span. This new typology will not only help address the specific housing needs of older people but provide a greater range of housing typologies to benefit a diverse group of residents into the future.

95 | Annual Report 2018

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